(And no, Blue Moon didn’t make the list)
This Friday, July 20th, is the fiftieth anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Whether you believe we actually landed there or that it was all shot on a Hollywood set, it’s a great excuse to celebrate with a cold craft beer.
Did you know the first fermentation in space happened in 1998, and it was beer?! According to NASA, It was part of Kirsten Sterrett’s graduate thesis at University of Colorado Boulder and was in part funded by Coors. The Fluid Processing Apparatus (seen below) is what she used to ferment her extremely small batch beer.
Without further ado, here are the 5 Space Beers you should consider for celebrating Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s walk on the moon. Shoot, we’ll also raise a glass to Michael Collins, the third astronaut of the Apollo 11 mission who flew the command module.
Beer Hates Astronauts
Beer Hates Astronauts is an IPA brewed with Vienna malt and Citra hops from Half Acre Beer Company. The juicy, tropical flavor combined with a creamy, velvety mouthfeel is sure to please.
Commander X-2
Commander X-2 is a “saizy” (hazy Saison) from Stormcloud Brewing Company. It was actually released to celebrate the “50th anniversary of humankind’s first trip to the moon.” It’s packed with an Earth-shattering blast of Comet and Galaxy hops, creating a super juicy aroma over a hazy, golden glow.
Neptune
Neptune is a spiced Imperial Stout from Bell’s Brewery. This beer is an oldie, released in 2015 and the last of their Planet Series. I know some people have been cellaring it, and I can’t imagine a better reason to bust it out than to celebrate the lunar landing!
Lupulin Astronaut
Lupulin Astronaut is an IPA from Sun King Brewery. It is brewed with Mosaic, Chinook & Mandarina hops, and is “brewed in honor of those brave souls who remain dedicated to discovering new worlds of citrusy hop flavor.” You’ll get citrus, especially orange out of this one, as well as some herbal undertones.
Moon Juice
Moon Juice is an IPA from SanTan Brewing Company. The Galaxy and Nelson-Sauvin hops in this bad boy produce some incredible stone fruit and tropical flavor. If this had existed back in 1969, the astronauts would’ve wanted to take it with them.
What beer are you going to drink to celebrate the moon landing? Let me know which beer I missed in the comment section below!
Polka Dots & Pints. 